Brutality
by Gundam Kaiser
Summary: What if Axel had been accidentally sent on a long-term mission just before Roxas joined the Organization? Xemnas needs SOMEBODY to mentor Roxas, and there's no time to wait for Axel's return. Now suppose it's Larxene... Roxas/Larxene, Brutal!Roxas, AU.
1. Beginning of Awareness

Brutality

_The Beginning of Awareness_

**One day, I just got a really, **_**really**_** weird idea in my head, and couldn't shake it, hence this fanfic. Anyway, it's a Roxas/Larxene fanfic, semi-dark Roxas, and consequently, very, very AU. **

_**Brutality**_

_Day 1_

Saïx asked, "So then, Lord Xemnas, who shall… teach Roxas until he becomes useful?"

Xemnas thought for a few moments, carefully thinking before he answered. "Axel would be best, but we sent him out on a long-term reconnaissance mission just the other day, didn't we?"

Nodding, the Luna Diviner confirmed that Axel had left merely the day before, and wasn't expected for another two weeks. "Sir, we cannot simply waste two weeks waiting for Axel's return. Therefore, someone else must be chosen to deal with Roxas."

Closing his eyes in contemplation, Xemnas had to admit that it was quite a difficult decision. "Hm… Beyond Axel, the ideal tutors would've been either you or one of the original six members, excluding Xaldin, who simply wouldn't allow himself to be bothered with it. Vexen would be willing, but I don't think any of us could stand it if Roxas took after him in anything other than dedication. You, I, Zexion, Lexaeus, and Xigbar are too busy dealing with logistics and administration duties, however. Therefore, it falls to either Vexen, or one of our newer members – Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, or Larxene. Who would you recommend, if it were up to you?"

Saïx's response was immediate. "Of those choices, Luxord. Or, failing that, Vexen. We can't risk Demyx's laziness infecting Roxas. Marluxia would certainly be willing to help, but would most likely turn him into a weapon to be used against us, rather than to be used _by_ the Organization. And Larxene would almost certainly try to kill him, something we also cannot risk."

Xemnas replied, "You have some excellent points, Saïx, although I feel I need more than just your input on this matter. Go to the Grey Area, and inform our comrades that there will be no missions today. Instead, we shall focus on choosing a new mentor for our newest recruit, Roxas."

"By your will, Superior."

With those four words, the Luna Diviner opened a Corridor of Darkness and vanished from the Round Room to carry out his orders. In his ten years as a Nobody, Xemnas had gained not only his incredible power, but also a great deal of patience. _'But then again,'_ he mused to himself, _'it isn't even as though I can feel boredom in the first place.'_

It took nearly five minutes for Saïx to return, a full two of which could be reasonably assumed to involve kicking Demyx out of bed, a minute and a half to locate and find the various other members, and around a minute to get Roxas on his feet and moving in the proper direction.

Once the entirety of Organization XIII (sans Axel) had assembled in the Round Room, Xemnas cleared his throat to instantly end any discussion amongst his 'employees'.

"As you are well aware, yesterday we inducted a new member into our group, a boy blessed with the power of the Keyblade. However – perhaps due to his age or another factor in his previous life – he will require help becoming a productive member of our Organization. In short, Roxas shall require a mentor. Ideally, I would assign this task to Axel, as it seems like something he'd be rather skilled at. Due to a lack of foresight on my part, however, he was given a mission two days previous, and will not likely return for at least another week. Which means that the duty will fall to someone else."

Smirking a little on the inside, Xemnas found himself somehow amused by the squirming of his various subordinates, many of whom clearly dislike the idea of – from their perspective – becoming part-time to full-time babysitter.

And, exactly as predicted, Demyx and Marluxia were the only two candidates being seriously considered who showed no sign of discomfort at the prospect of being chosen for Roxas's mentor, though each for a different reason.

Marluxia saw a potential weapon to use against Xemnas or anyone else who stood in his way, while Demyx was merely jumping at the chance to avoid more strenuous work.

Xemnas thoroughly understood each of those who served beneath him – it, along with his extraordinary power – was why _he_ led Organization XIII. "However, due to myself and the other senior members – barring Vexen – being occupied with administrative duties, that means that there are only four real candidates for the job: Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, and Larxene. And today, just for a change of pace, I'm not going to decide for you. Instead, everyone present – myself excluded – will state whom they believe best suited for the task at hand, and at the end, Roxas's mentor will be chosen by popular consensus. And do not expect such democracy to be a common occurrence, I might add. Beginning with Xigbar, we will work our way down."

The one-eyed gunslinger thought for a few moments, before he said, "I say Luxord. He's arguably the best worker out of the four newbies, and I really don't think the rest of us can take another Vexen."

Demyx and Larxene laughed out loud at the Freeshooter's jab towards the Chilly Academic (who spluttered in indignation), the lone woman of the Organization clutching her sides in hysterics before she shouted, "You got that right, old man!" Marluxia chuckled in agreement, while Luxord and even Zexion each grinned a little.

Xaldin, as ruthless as they come, and by no means as reasonable as Number II, grinned sadistically as he said, "I say that if anyone should suffer putting up with the brat until he's useful, make it Larxene. And if Number XIII should die on her watch – let alone she kills him – then let me mete out the punishment."

Now it was Larxene's turn to boil in rage, as Vexen smirked with equally unpleasant sentiment as he said, "I agree with Xaldin on this point. While Luxord or myself would be much more suited to making certain that Roxas becomes productive, this is an opportunity for Larxene to mature as a side effect, so that she might actually prove to be of some use as well."

The Savage Nymph was nearly red-faced in her fury, and was about to give the senior citizen a good verbal lashing, but one look from Xemnas instantly convinced her to hold her tongue, at least for the time being.

Lexaeus, Earth manipulator, declared, "Number X is clearly the best choice here. He and Vexen are the only two who can be trusted completely, and Vexen is too easily sidetracked. Despite his eccentricities, I put my faith more in Luxord than the others."

Zexion remained silent for a full three minutes before casting his vote. "While compelling cases have been made for Luxord and Larxene each, I believe I must speak on behalf of Marluxia. Number XI has proven himself to be just as capable and diligent in his assignments as Luxord, perhaps more. Marluxia takes his work just as seriously as any of the rest of us do, and _much_ more seriously than a few of us… and by 'a few of us', I suppose I really just mean Demyx. Even if she doesn't throw herself into her work as much as Luxord, Marluxia, or I do, at least Larxene gets the job done passably. Demyx doesn't even do that much."

Everyone with even a moderate sense of humor shared a few good chuckles at the Melodious Nocturne's expense, and Marluxia good-naturedly called out, "I honestly thank you for your confidence, Zexion. It's quite good to hear that at the very least, _one_ of our esteemed senior members thinks me capable of such a worthy task." Listening to Marluxia's tone and the way the words were spoken, it sounded much less like kissing up to Zexion, and much more like an attack against the other five founding members.

Saïx, nearly as cold as Xemnas and as brutally honest as Xaldin, cast his vote. "I disagree with Zexion. Marluxia and Larxene cannot be trusted, Demyx is unreliable at best, and Vexen is obsessed with his experimentation. Therefore, Luxord is the only sensible choice."

Luxord didn't seem to care that things were going in his 'favor', though he would be a bit irritated if he wound up having to watch some rookie's back all the time.

Due to Axel's absence, the next vote came to Demyx. Before doing so, however, he asked, "Just out of curiosity, can I vote for myself?"

Xemnas, almost amazed that Demyx hadn't picked up on the fact that he was doomed not to such an 'easy job', decided to ruthlessly quell his subordinate's instinct by saying, "No. You may not. You're not going to be chosen in the first place, so you may as well put your vote somewhere that actually makes a difference."

Borderline crushed, Demyx showed a bit of his mean streak by declaring, "Then I say Larxene! Mostly because I agree with what Vexen said, and whenever we're in the same room, all she ever does is bitch at me for no good reason! It's not my fault she can't appreciate my musical genius!"

Xigbar, Zexion, and Luxord facepalmed, while Larxene shouted, "You little twerp! I swear to Kingdom Hearts, if they pick me because of you, I'll put you in so much pain you won't be able to play that goddamned sitar of yours for a fucking week, do you hear me?"

Xemnas, becoming irritated with the woman's outbursts, was about to silence her, but Marluxia beat him to it. "Relax, Larxene. Threatening him with torture isn't going to help you right now. If worst comes to worst and you _are_ chosen as Roxas's mentor, then I will do anything in my power to make it easier on you. Is that agreeable?"

Grumbling to herself a string of profanities among which could be heard numerous "fuck you"-type remarks directed at Demyx, Xemnas, Xaldin, Vexen, and Saïx, the Savage Nymph eventually replied, "Thanks, Marluxia. Worst case scenario, I'll need all the fucking help I can get."

Luxord had begun shuffling his deck of cards while patiently waiting for his chance to speak. He was the Gambler of Fate, after all – all the time in the world was at his disposal.

"I am not able to vote for myself, nor would I want to in the first place. Taking into account what I know of my fellow players, I suppose that Marluxia has the best hand for this particular game. I was loosely acquainted with him when he had hearts, and he'd been somewhat well-known as a mentor for the younger generation. And he's more patient when teaching a newcomer the rules of the game than I am."

Marluxia was slightly irritated that he was unable to vote for himself, but realized that he and Larxene were the only two with votes to be cast. As Luxord and Larxene were tied at three apiece, and he only had two, he knew that despite Larxene's inevitable support, he was pretty much out of the running; in truth, Number XI realized, it was a choice between those on either side of him – Numbers X and XII.

Knowing quite well that she'd be extremely pissed off at him later, he still couldn't help but smile a bit as he said, "Demyx, if you value your life or your self-proclaimed musical talent to any degree at all, then I suggest that you start running now, and that you go into hiding for a few months until Larxene expends most of her frustration. If you're lucky, maybe you can squirm your way into some third-rate band in Twilight Town for a while. Larxene, go ahead and cast your vote. I believe I've made where I stand clear. It's quite a shame that our wise leader wouldn't permit me to vote for myself; I'd much rather be able to spare both Luxord and Larxene the frustration of looking after someone inexperienced, but alas, Xemnas's word is law."

Larxene spluttered for a second in rage at Marluxia, but moreso at Demyx and Xemnas, and then at all the other assholes that wanted to torture her so badly. Then realizing that all was not lost, she said, "Well in that case, I vote Luxord, which makes it a tie."

Xemnas couldn't help but sigh a bit as he said, "And in the end, 'twould seem it's come to be my decision after all. After listening to all of your opinions, I must choose Larxene. While Luxord is admittedly the better choice, he has proven himself to be quite productive already. Number XII has not. This meeting is now over, and the decision is final. Larxene, you may not try to change my mind, nor ask for a recounting of the votes, nor any other tactic in a desperate attempt at avoiding the responsibility I have given you. If anything, you should look forward to it. After all, you will be the Keybearer's role model. Roxas will almost certainly become what you turn him into. Think of it not as a punishment, but as an opportunity to prove that we did not make an error in judgment when we inducted you into this Organization."

Larxene knew that, lacking a heart, she couldn't technically feel emotion, but if she hadn't known that, then she'd have considered herself absolutely _terrified_ at the way Xemnas spoke his final command.

Swearing to herself, Larxene observed her various colleagues exit one after another until only she, Marluxia, Luxord, and Roxas remained.

The Gambler of Fate calmly remarked, "If I had a heart, this is the part where I would almost feel sorry for you, Larxene. From one neophyte to another, I can only recommend that you do what you can to keep Roxas alive and well, and get him running under his own power as quickly as you can without breaking him. The sooner you manage that, the sooner he should be out of your hair."

Luxord vanished then, and Marluxia added, "If you should need my help to a reasonable degree, then ask and I shall provide," before he too disappeared.

Larxene, still grumbling, teleported over to where Roxas stood on the ground, grabbed him by the shoulder, and then enveloped them both in a Corridor of Darkness, heading off to the City That Never Was, where she planned to have a little chat with Roxas. And also, quite possibly, get him used to holding a weapon – one way, or another.

**_Brutality_**

**Tell me what you think, so I know whether or not this is worth continuing.**


	2. Reviewing the Basics, Part 1

Brutality

_Reviewing the Basics, Part 1_

**One day, I just got a really, **_**really**_** weird idea in my head, and couldn't shake it, hence this fanfic. Anyway, it's a Roxas/Larxene fanfic, semi-dark Roxas, and consequently, very, very AU.**

**Since I'd like to keep chapters at a similar length, and the first chapter was around 7 pages, some chapters will span multiple days, as needed.**

**Also, I'll be throwing in references here and there to various other videogames/series. I don't know if I'll actually ever use them for chapters, but I wonder if anybody can even catch the references in the first place? If you spot them, tell me in a review.**

**Finally, this story is called "Brutality" for a **_**reason**_**, so at least for the fight scenes, this story is going to be much darker than canon. **

_**Brutality**_

_Day 7_

Larxene was practically amazed that Roxas had found his way to the Grey Area without help and on time. And then, as expected, the young Keybearer briefly looked around the room before seeing Larxene and heading in her direction. In the most condescending tone she could manage (which was pretty _damn_ condescending, mind you) "This is incredible, Roxas. I'm honestly impressed that you made it all the way here without me holding your hand. Want a cookie for your troubles?"

Roxas betrayed only a margin of insult as he replied, "I have a question, Larxene."

The Savage Nymph kept belittling him; "Ooh, so you can talk now, too? Maybe I should give you _two_ cookies. What's your question, shrimp?"

With a confused stare, the Key to Destiny asked, "What did I ever do to make you hate me so much?"

Throughout the entire Grey Area, there was complete silence for five seconds as Larxene processed exactly what her charge had asked her.

And then she started laughing as though it were about to go out of style.

Poking Roxas in the forehead, Larxene answered, "You know, if you weren't such a waste of space, you'd almost be cute, shrimp! But get something through your head right now: we're Nobodies, and that means that we can't actually _feel_ any emotions. So I technically don't hate you by simple virtue of being incapable of that feeling. But if I _could_ hate you, it would be because you're abso-freaking-lutely useless. You're a waste of space, and worse than that, you're a waste of my time."

Larxene cruelly giggled again at Roxas's expression – he looked as though he were actually _hurt_ by her brief tirade. Pinching his cheek, she said, "Don't worry, shrimp. You don't _really_ hurt, you just think you do. Now get a move on, the old man evidently has some big announcement for us."

Confused again, Roxas inquired, "Which one?"

Stopping in her tracks, annoyed once more, Larxene asked, "Which one what?"

Roxas elaborated, "You said the old man had an announcement. Which old man are you talking about? You call Xemnas, Xigbar, and Vexen all that. How do I know which old man you mean when you say it?"

Demyx, Marluxia, and Luxord, also in the room at the moment, chuckled a bit, while Saïx's ever-present frown intensified.

Taking special note of the Luna Diviner's heated glare, the Savage Nymph had the sense to look somewhat abashed as she explained, "Well, in this case I meant Xemnas. Just pay attention to what I say and how I say it, and you can probably figure out who I'm talking about at any given time. Now move it, shrimp, _double time_!"

Inwardly wincing at the slight malice in his mentor's tone, Roxas quickly obeyed, and everyone noticed a small spring in the Keybearer's step as he rapidly strode from the room to his new destination.

Once the entire Organization was assembled, Xemnas spoke. "Good tidings, friends. Today is a momentous day. I am pleased to announce that a new comrade has been chosen to wear the coat."

A small figure on the floor strode into the room, looking to be of about the same height as Roxas, though with a somewhat smaller frame.

Xemnas continued, "Number XIV. Let us all welcome one of the Keyblade's chosen."

There was muted applause from the more sociable members, including Xigbar, Zexion, and the five newest members sans Larxene.

Then, the various Nobodies began teleporting out, until Larxene, Roxas, Xemnas, and the new figure were all that remained.

Knowing exactly what the Savage Nymph was about to say, Xemnas cut her off. "Don't worry, Larxene. I have chosen to take care of Number XIV myself, as she is even worse off than Roxas was when we found him. Speaking of whom, is he prepared to start going on missions yet, Larxene?"

While Larxene wanted to be rid of him, another part of her was starting to get attached, however begrudgingly so. She also knew that, if Roxas died on a mission because she hadn't done her job well enough, she'd be erased as well. "Eh… he could probably go fetch the laundry by himself, but anything tougher than that, you'd better give him somebody to save his sorry ass for a good while yet."

Xemnas nodded, before replying, "I see. I shall arrange the next week of missions accordingly, and I suppose I'll give Roxas a chance to get to know each of his comrades therein."

Roxas, for some reason getting annoyed at being ignored like this, spoke up, saying, "I'm sitting right here, you know. Don't talk about me like I'm not present!"

Xemnas, in mild surprise – or what passed for it with him, at any rate, replied, "Perhaps so. I'm not entirely certain I expected you to be this self-aware already. It would seem I've underestimated Larxene's ability as a mentor. The two of you are now excused."

Larxene was about to teleport to Roxas's chair, but he shook his head in defiance and jumped down from his chair, falling over thirty feet to the ground.

Miraculously, however, he managed to land uninjured on his feet with a soft _thud_, startling the cloaked newbie as Roxas allowed his momentum to pull him into a slight crouch. The Key to Destiny pulled up his hood, smirking a bit beneath it at the alarm from his superiors, and calmly strode out the door, cloak billowing about his feet… as though Roxas were already a shadow of the badass he would eventually become.

The cloaked figure subconsciously backed out of his way. And while her hood prevented everyone from seeing her face, if it were down, they'd have found Xion to have a peculiar sparkle in her eyes, as of admiration.

_**Brutality**_

_Day 8_

Larxene observed Roxas walking into the Grey Area, while she lounged on the couch, sipping a cup of hot tea.

Saïx, her least favorite co-worker besides Xemnas, walked over and said, "Roxas, your work begins today. I will issue missions, which the Organization expects you to carry out. For now, on Larxene's recommendation, these early missions will be practice, until we determine that you're prepared for a real test. Under Xemnas's orders… Demyx will be joining you today."

When the Luna Diviner had spoken Number IX's name, he spat it out quickly, as though it left quite an unpleasant taste in his mouth.

Despite how badly she treated him, Roxas was somewhat disappointed that Larxene wouldn't be going with him. Nevertheless, the Melodious Nocturne walked up and said, "Hey there, new guy. I'm Demyx, Number IX. As soon as you're ready, go talk to Saïx about the mission, but don't be ready too soon, all right?"

Roxas, turning to Larxene in confusion, was about to ask why he should wait before getting ready, but she cut him off, saying, "Just go talk to Saïx now, knucklehead. Demyx is just being lazy, and he doesn't want to do any work. Whatever your mission is, make sure that he puts just as much effort into it as you do. And if not, you have my permission to beat his punk-ass down. Got it?"

Roxas, glad that Larxene was finally being nice to him, even if only a little, smiled and nodded, before doing as she told him and going to Number VII.

_**Melodious Nocturne**_

Going through the Corridor of Darkness, Demyx said, "Well, let's start with the basics of the basics. A mission is, well… The easiest way of looking at it is that Saïx tells you to do something, and you go do it. He told me to teach you about some basics, and that's my mission. You follow?"

Roxas nodded, before Demyx said, "Now then, a lot of times, a mission objective – the thing that you're supposed to do – isn't right where we drop you off. Instead, you're going to have to move around and go places. Now then, there's a treasure chest somewhere in here. Track it down and open it for me."

Sighing, Roxas was about to tell Demyx that making him do everything wasn't fair, before he got an idea. "Fine."

On the way to the chest, Roxas noticed a doorway blocked by black and white lines of energy, and kept on going past it. Demyx called out, "H-hey, aren't you gonna ask about the barricades?"

Roxas shook his head, replying, "No, Larxene told me yesterday."

After about a minute more of searching, Roxas found the chest, and opened it.

Taking the Potion inside, Demyx shouted, "Hey, you found it for me! Thanks, now give me that Potion."

Smirking, Roxas said, "No. You didn't do any of the work, so you don't get anything. If you really wanted the Potion that badly, you'd have gotten it yourself."

Demyx, incredulous, slumped over and said, "Oh, fine. C'mon, let's RTC."

The Melodious Nocturne went back to the Corridor of Darkness, and Roxas followed him.

Once the pair were back in the Grey Area, Demyx went off to a corner and started playing his sitar, while Roxas looked around for Larxene. Deciding that she must not be back from her own mission yet, the Key to Destiny needed something to do, so he went to the training room, preparing to burn off some energy.

Once he reached his destination, Roxas snapped his fingers the way Larxene had taught him, and summoned a number of Data Dusks **(1)**, before calling forth the Kingdom Key. After all, one of the very first things Larxene had taught him was this: "With great boredom, comes great cruelty potential."

_**Brutality**_

_Day 9_

As Roxas entered the Grey Area, he found Larxene, who was lightly massaging her forehead. Spying her protégée, she asked, "Hey, squirt. How'd your mission go yesterday?"

Roxas replied, "I had to look around the tunnels and find a treasure chest. When I opened it, Demyx told me to give him the Potion inside it."

Larxene rolled her eyes, saying, "Typical for that lazy-ass bum. And what did you do about it?"

The Key to Destiny answered, "I told him that if he'd really wanted it, he should've gotten it himself."

The Savage Nymph laughed out loud, saying, "Okay kid, that's better than I expected from you, but from now on, if that lazy-ass bum tries to mooch off of you, hit him with the Keyblade, as hard as you can manage."

Roxas enthusiastically nodded, happy to take Larxene's advice.

Then, Marluxia entered the room, introducing himself. "Welcome to the fold, Roxas. My name is Marluxia. Speak with Saïx once you're prepared for today's mission."

Roxas nodded, while Larxene finished the last of her tea for the morning, before setting off for her recon mission in Empire City.

_**Graceful Assassin**_

Numbers XI and XIII arrived in the Sandlot in Twilight Town, Marluxia said, "My mission today is to teach you the basics of fighting, as well as Heart collection, but I'm quite certain that Larxene has already taken care of that. So instead, I'm going to give you a challenge."

Snapping his fingers to summon a group of Shadows and Yellow Operas, the Graceful Assassin continued, "But first, the official objective. I want you to defeat all the Heartless you see. Show me how experienced you are with the Keyblade."

Roxas nodded, closing his eyes and summoning the Kingdom Key, before standing in silence for a moment, as though crafting a plan. Then, his eyes snapped wide open with an undefined rage as he lunged at a Shadow, stabbing through its face and killing it in one blow. Then, head snapping up and to the left, Roxas jumped at a Yellow Opera and sent it crashing to the ground with an overhead strike, before taking advantage of his opponent's temporary disability by stomping its head into the dirt, crushing it.

However, a second Yellow Opera had charged itself with electricity and then tackled Roxas in the back, causing a sharp, yet brief, intake of breath at the sudden pain. Before the Emblem Heartless could get out of reach, however, the Key to Destiny turned around and, using his empty hand, grabbed where its throat would be, choking it.

Desperately attempting to free itself, the Yellow Opera charged itself with electricity – which was exactly what he'd wanted. Roxas gauged the power build-up in the small Heartless by the growing pain in his hand, before he threw it like a grenade at the remaining Shadows. Upon contact with the Pureblood Heartless, the jolted Yellow Opera detonated with force comparable to a Minute Bomb, instantly killing them all.

Shaking the numbness out of his left arm, Roxas panted a bit as he looked around for his remaining enemies. Barely warned by the crackling of electricity above him, Roxas dove to his right as the last Yellow Opera cast a **Thunder** spell, a lightning bolt striking the spot where Roxas had stood just a second before. Taking a moment to properly aim at the Emblem Heartless, Number XIII threw his Keyblade at his flying foe like a shuriken, effectively decapitating it.

Then, before he could call back his weapon, Roxas noted a pool of Darkness just to his right, and quickly jumped back to avoid the lunging Shadow, before pivoting on his foot to charge forward, punching the small Heartless in the face. Then, before it could recover, Roxas called the Kingdom Key back to his hand and rushed forward, dragging the jagged edge along the ground and creating sparks, before swinging upward and slicing his last enemy in half.

Panting from the exertion, and his left hand still twitching a bit from the massive electrical charge it had been forced to endure, Roxas turned to his partner for the day as his inexplicable anger left him. "So, you said (huff) something about (huff) a challenge?"

Marluxia shook his head and replied, "Not today, Roxas. While you're stronger than I expected, you still need more experience. Perhaps next time. Until then, I expect you to keep honing your skills. Now then, let's RTC."

As the Graceful Assassin opened a Corridor of Darkness, Roxas looked as though about to ask something, but changed his mind and followed without question.

Upon return to the Castle, Roxas noted once again that Larxene hadn't returned yet. Feeling rather exhausted, Number XIII went straight on to his quarters, and within a few minutes, was deep in slumber.

_**Brutality**_

**(1) Basically, the same concept as Data Replicas from Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix, applied to regular Nobodies. After all, the Organization would look pretty stupid if they slaughtered their own minions, wouldn't they?**


	3. Reviewing the Basics, Part II

**Brutality**

**Hey guys, I'm not dead. And neither is this fic. It just took a **_**lot**_** longer than I thought it would. Sorry 'bout that.**

**There will be references to stuff, and quite possibly some crossover world-based missions in the future. This IS an AU, after all. The main story will still be pretty much solid KH, though.**

**Now then, a quick foreword: some of the Days up to this point, and even in this chapter, have had comprehensive coverage. From this point on, however, you probably shouldn't expect every single Day to get that much attention. Partly for the sake of my sanity, partly for the sake of keeping things quasi-relevant. So again - some Days will be covered in a lot of detail, other Days will get kind of glossed over.**

**With that, enjoy the show.**

**Reviewing the Basics II**

* * *

_Day 10_

Opening his eyes, Roxas was mildly alarmed to find that it was three in the morning. _'Damn, that's what I get for letting myself go to sleep so early.'_

Softly grumbling to himself, Roxas mused that trying to get back to sleep now would be useless, so he instead resolved to go down and get some training done.

Once he got to the main hall, however, he came to realize that he was not the only Organization member active so early this morning.

"Roxas, may I ask why you aren't in your quarters asleep?"

Turning to face Zexion, Roxas replied, "I went to sleep too early last night, and woke up a few minutes ago as a result. So I'm going to go train for a few hours until it's time for my mission."

"While your drive to improve is commendable, the Organization doesn't need you wasting your strength now and beginning your mission exhausted."

Scoffing a bit, Roxas turned back to the training area and replied, "Big deal. It's not like Larxene never made me fight with a handicap over the past week. Wearing myself down to my limits and then pushing myself beyond that point is the only way I can get stronger, right? Besides, I can't get back to sleep, and it's not like I can just sit around doing nothing for the next five hours or so."

Quietly musing about XIII's aggressive behavior, as well as wondering _what_ precisely Larxene had done with him during that first week, Zexion eventually replied, "If you have that much energy that you need to burn off, then I suggest you go to the library and read. I'm sure you still have a number of questions, and you can find some answers there. This way, you can still improve, but you'll have most of your energy to devote to the mission."

Pausing a few moments, Roxas finally asked, "All right then, where is it?"

Smirking a little, Zexion got up from his alarmingly comfortable chair, and led his junior to The Silent Library.

Having left Roxas to peruse the nigh-innumerable volumes in The Silent Library, Zexion decided that he would have to ask the Savage Nymph a few questions when she returned. While Number XIII's drive to become stronger was indeed commendable, the reckless attitude he approached it with – which nearly seemed to border on suicidal – was a flaw that had to be remedied.

Just then, the Cloaked Schemer detected a Corridor of Darkness opening near the base of the Castle, and he smirked to himself as a familiar scent made itself known.

'_Well, well, well. Speak of the devil and she's sure to appear.'_

The Savage Nymph looked like death warmed over - apparently, things had gone south and she'd spent several hours in battle.

Stifling a yawn, she said, "Whatever it is, Zexion, I'm pretty sure it can wait until I'm awake sometime tomorrow."

Standing in her way, Zexion said, "And I'm quite certain that your sleep can wait a few minutes until after we've had a short conversation, Number XII."

Really too tired to think straight, Larxene nevertheless asked, "Zexion, it's okay if I call you an arrogant, trolling son of a bitch, right?"

Snorting, Zexion replied, "I couldn't care less."

Deadpan, the Savage Nymph said, "Great, because I was gonna say it anyway. Now what the hell do you want?"

Narrowing his eyes a bit, Zexion said, "It's about Roxas. Had a short talk with him earlier. And while his drive to improve is certainly commendable, I fear that you may have done _too_ well with him. Unless you can get him to better pace himself, it's quite likely he'll end up burning himself out, and then he'll be of no use to anyone. I trust you can infer where I'm going with this?"

Her left eye twitching, Larxene allowed the silence to hang in the air for a moment before sighing as she asked, "So let me get this straight. First, you senior members shove the brat on me just to make me suffer and threaten to kill me if I don't turn him into a freaking badass. And now that he's getting to the point where I can move the _fuck_ on and not waste my life on the goddamn shrimp, you shove him back on me _again_ to make me _**tone him down**_ a little? Am I right so far?"

Idly wondering what Larxene planned to do about it, Zexion merely nodded.

And wasn't the least bit surprised when she punched him in the face and sent him skidding across the floor.

"Fine, I'll talk with the damn shrimp sometime after I get some damn sleep."

While not at all pleased about it, Larxene allowed herself only a few hours of sleep. Pulling her black cloak back on and not bothering to re-dress beneath it, Larxene opened a Corridor of Darkness and teleported herself to the Grey Area, just in time to find Roxas coming down the staircase.

Looking at his face, she saw that he appeared to have a number of questions, but upon seeing Larxene his expression immediately changed to a vibrant smile.

_The hell's he smiling at _me_ for?_

"Roxas, Zexion says we need to have a little chat."

With a worried expression, XIII asked, "Did I get you in trouble?"

_Wait, _he's _worried about _me_? The hell's _wrong_ with this kid?_

For some reason, Larxene felt just a little warm in her chest. Or maybe she was getting sick from running around the drafty castle in nothing but the Cloak.

"Not yet, kiddo, but Zexion told me you've been pretty much threatening to overwork yourself. Since I'll be punished if you burn yourself out and become even _more_ useless, don't. Got it?"

Roxas seemed to process that for a few seconds, before nodding. "Understood, I'll try to pace myself more from now on."

Still rather exhausted, Larxene couldn't bring herself to fake much emotion. "Great. Now go get your mission and do whatever. I need some more friggin' sleep."

Filing away Larxene's advice to not overwork himself, Roxas saw Zexion waiting for him further into the Grey Area.

"Greetings again, Roxas. I trust your stint in the library was productive?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah."

"Good to hear. I shall be joining you on your mission today. If there's anything else you'd like to take care of before we set out, then do so. Otherwise, go ahead and report to Saïx."

Not really having anything else of concern, Roxas did as he was told, after which he and Zexion departed for Twilight Town.

As the dark duo strode into the Tram Common, Zexion explained, "Your mission today is to eliminate a set quantity of Heartless. The Organization may call upon you to meet other objectives-perform recon, for example. But regardless of the task you have been given, your primary orders still hold. You and that Keyblade of yours serve us best by collecting Hearts."

Roxas thought about that for a moment. "So in addition to doing my specific missions, I should make it a point to hunt down and kill everything in sight?"

Raising an eyebrow at Roxas's choice of phrase - and also noting the slight eagerness in his tone - Zexion rather hastily clarified. "Unless otherwise specifically stated, you should _only_ target the Heartless. Remember that we must remain covert at all times."

Roxas tilted his head to one side. "Covert?"

Zexion nodded. "Our activities must remain a secret, and we need to keep the populace ignorant of our existence."

"So... I should hunt down every Heartless I can find, annihilate them all, complete my assigned objective, and do it all without anyone knowing I did it?"

"In layman's terms, yes."

Roxas nodded. "Gotcha."

With that, Zexion pointed Roxas towards the center of the Common, where they could see some Dire Plants and Yellow Operas.

Roxas summoned his Keyblade and took a deep breath, before running at the group of enemies with a violent shout.

As the Keyblade wielder slaughtered the Heartless around him, Zexion hung back to observe for the moment.

_So far, his fighting seems remarkably similar to that of Number VII, as both have a berserker streak. Where Saïx uses the moon to trigger a mindless rage, however, it Roxas appears can enter his berserk state at will. And unlike Saïx's artificial fury, Roxas doesn't seem to be showing much emotion at all, even if it's fake. Though he _does_ seem to derive a particular enjoyment from battle, overall it's just... some kind of frenzy._

Zexion suddenly realized that he'd forgotten to tell Roxas that he was only _required_ to target a specific number of Heartless, with 'extracurricular work' being optional but encouraged.

Then, before he could make it a point to explain this, he realized that Roxas was already heading back toward him. The younger Nobody was slightly tired, but not particularly wounded.

Just staring at the surprisingly bloodthirsty newbie, Zexion eventually spoke up.

"While I applaud you for your... zeal, Roxas, you might consider waiting until your mission objectives are fully outlined next time. Any questions?"

Roxas paused for a moment, before shaking his head.

"In that case," Zexion said, "let's go ahead and RTC."

* * *

_Day 11_

Roxas stepped into the Grey Area, and was immediately 'greeted' by Saïx.

"Today, we expect you to attempt the use of magic instead of pure reliance on the Keyblade. You'll meet your partner on-site. Now get out."

Roxas was rather confused, but did as he was told.

As he emerged from the Corridor of Darkness into Twilight Town, Roxas heard his favorite voice in the world. Slightly less insulting than usual, she said, "Nice of you to show up."

"Larxene!"

The Savage Nymph almost visibly recoiled from the force of Number XIII's smile, but she hid it well.

After a minute or two of incoherent grumbling, Larxene said, "Anyway, I'm sure that bastard Saïx told you to use magic today instead of the Keyblade, right?"

Roxas nodded, but then asked, "Um, why is that? I mean, I thought only the Keyblade released Hearts into Kingdom Hearts. Wouldn't using magic, then, kind of... defeat the point?"

Larxene raised an eyebrow and - with what might have been _pride_ in her voice - remarked, "I see you're not _quite_ the idiot you were before. Normally, that would be true, but in your case magic works just as well as the Keyblade. This is because magic is chanelled through a focus, meaning that any magic _you_ use will have the same properties as the Keyblade, regardless of whether it's in your hand or not."

Roxas nodded, as if expecting such wisdom from the Savage Nymph.

"Anyway," she continued, "as it stands now you're pretty much nothing without your Keyblade. For the sake of argument, assume there will be situations where you can't use your Keyblade for whatever reason. This magic training is to make sure that, in those events, you're not totally helpless."

At that time, a Dire Plant appeared.

With a decidedly viscious grin, Larxene muttered, "Perfect timing. See that Heartless? Kill it exclusively with magic. You remember how I taught you fire spells, right?"

Roxas nodded.

"Well, I figure that you've got enough power to cast three of 'em without resorting to restorative items like ether."

Then, gazing imperiously at him, she continued, "You can expect the same as usual, Roxas: perform poorly, and be punished. Do well, and... who knows? I might even reward you this time."

Roxas nodded, before recalling what he'd learned about the use of magic.

Focusing his energy, he waited until he was at point blank range before unleashing a fireball directly at the Dire Plant's face, instantly incinerating it.

Larxene nodded at him, before two more Dire Plants and a trio of Yellow Operas appeared.

Roxas glanced at Larxene for instructions, since he didn't have enough magic to take them all out.

"Oh, for the love of God, you can fight however the hell you want for this part."

Roxas nodded, and screamed as he leapt at the first Yellow Opera, first punching it in the face before doing a front-flip and slamming it into the ground with the Kingdom Key. As he landed, he deflected a seed that the other had shot out and killed a second Yellow Opera with it, before turning on his heel and killing the offending Dire Plant with a Fire spell.

Just as soon as he cast the spell, however, the other Dire Plant shot Roxas in the back. Stumbling forward in pain, he suddenly found himself blinded.

Turning around, the screaming swordsman lunged at where he thought the second Dire Plant would have been, and was rewarded for his insight as he tackled it to the ground.

If he wasn't angry, then he was doing a supremely fine job of faking it as he used his last fire spell to torch it with a vengeance.

Roxas was about to relax and wait for the blindness to leave him, when he recalled that there had been a third Yellow Opera.

The smart thing to do would be to run around in the hopes of not getting hit until the blindness wore off, and then kill it.

Roxas, however, was not prone to being smart.

So instead, he let the flying Heartless tackle him, and then grabbed it by its spindly dangling leg before it could get away.

Target secured in one hand, and his Keyblade in the other, Roxas slammed the Yellow Opera against the ground, stomped where its face ought to be with all his might, and then mauled it with the Kingdom Key.

Roxas was brought back to his senses by the sound of slow, deliberate applause.

Sounding genuinely impressed, Larxene said, "Not bad, Roxas. As far as a rookie goes, I'd actually say you're competent now. I'm in a good mood today, so I'll get you a treat. Just don't get used to it, shrimp."

Roxas happily nodded as his vision began to return. At that moment, a Corridor of Darkness appeared beneath him and sucked him in, before depositing the Key to Destiny at a dock overlooking the ocean.

A moment after, Larxene appeared next to him, each hand bearing a saucer with cake.

Handing Roxas a saucer, she said, "Savor it, you little punk. I didn't _have_ to do this, y'know."

The boy nodded. "I understand, and... thank you. Not just for the cake, but for teaching me, as well."

Wondering why the boy's gratitude made her feel strange, she muttered, "J-just shut up and eat your damn cake!"

Listening to the sounds of the ocean, the dark duo settled into a comfortable silence as they consumed the cake.

* * *

_Day 12_

When Roxas trudged back into the Grey Area after his first recon mission with Vexen, Demyx briefly paused in strumming his sitar.

"So how'd it go, tiger?"

Roxas stared at the Melodious Nocturne for a moment, until he said, "Before, I never really understood why nobody could stand being around Vexen."

"And now?"

"Now, I understand all too well."

* * *

_Day 13_

In the Sandlot, Lexaeus asked, "Do you know what a Limit Break is?"

Roxas nodded. "Yeah, Larxene said it's our most powerful ability that can only be used when we're, well, pushed to our limits from injury or adrenaline."

Lexaeus smiled. It was very unsettling. "Very well-said."

At that moment, a Mega-Shadow appeared, and Lexaeus knocked Roxas across the Sandlot with his Axe Sword.

Blood running down the side of his face, Roxas screamed, "What the _hell_ was that for?!"

Lexaeus explained, "Now you're pushed to your limits from injury. You can see the target, right? Then show me what you can do."

Roxas's first impulse was to go berserk like he normally did, but quickly realized that it would be poor-decision making in this instance.

Instead, he allowed the Mega-Shadow to charge at him, before quickly rolling out of the way and raking the Kingdom Key along its back, earning a roar of agony for his efforts.

Then, Roxas turned to face the huge Heartless and flung three Fire spells at it, killing it.

Lexaeus frowned, "You were _supposed_ to attack the enemy your Limit Break."

Roxas twitched, before turning to the Silent Hero with a mad look in his eye, and a distinctly Larxene-like smirk.

"... Roxas, what are you doing?"

The Key to Destiny was suddenly enveloped in a veil of Light before he declared, "I'm going to attack the enemy with my Limit Break, of course."

Roxas screamed like a maniac as he dealt Lexaeus a barrage of speed-and-power-enhanced attacks; thanks to his Limit Break, Roxas's blows even had enough force behind them to bruise Lexaeus's arms.

Then, before Number V had a chance to speak up, Roxas bit down on his own arm, the intense pain triggering _another_ Limit Break.

* * *

_Day 14_

When Roxas entered the Grey Area, he was met with an unfamiliar face.

"So you're the new guy who showed up while I was out. Name's Axel, so memorize it. Anyway, I'll be your partner for today. I'm sure you know the standard drill, so report to Saïx when you're ready."

The redhead turned to leave, before he apparently remembered something. "Oh yeah, I'm supposed to give you this Morph Gear. As you'd guess from the name, it's a piece of gear that allows your weapon to morph into different forms, reflecting your state of mind and your power level. Hook it to your belt, and let's see what happens."

Roxas accepted the trinket and hooked it to his belt like a buckle. As he did so, the Kingdom Key was enveloped in a flash of light before it reappeared as the Missing Ache.

"That wasn't so hard, right? Today's an actual mission to see how well you've learned so far. You might even call it a graduation."

Roxas nodded. "Okay."

The boy at first planned on just going to Saïx, but saw Number IX deep in thought.

"Something wrong, Demyx?"

The mullet-bearing Nobody looked up and asked, "Roxas, have you ever thought about doing something stupid...and AWESOME? I had an idea last night, but now I can't remember what the devil it was..."

Deciding to leave the Melodious Nocturne to his musings, Roxas went on to accept his mission.

Appearing in a Side Street of Twilight Town, the two went on the hunt for Heartless.

Unable to take what was - for him - becoming an uncomfortable silence, Axel joked, "Jeez man, don't talk my ear off."

"I just don't have much to say."

At that moment, they stumbled upon a broup of Possessors and Yellow Operas.

Axel ordered, "You take care of the Emblems - I'll keep the Purebloods off your back."

Roxas remembered reading about the distinction between them during his time in the Silent Library, and nodded. "Got it, let's kill 'em all."

Axel noticed that the younger member was starting to grin a little, but Roxas himself didn't.

Several minutes later, the pair had cleaned out the town of Heartless, and were heading back to the Corridor of Darkness.

Axel was, quite frankly, unnerved to have a mini-Saïx running around, but chose not to comment and instead asked, "So, Roxas, got any plans?"

"... Do you know... where I could get some cake?"

Axel's eyebrow went up a bit, before giving Roxas the address of a local confectionary.

"Thanks, Axel."

The two Nobodies then parted ways.

* * *

_Day 17_

Stepping into the Grey Area, Roxas asked, "So what's the mission today?"

Saïx, impassive as ever, explained, "You've been doing well so far. Today, your endurance will be tested in order to determine your suitability for future missions. Report to the Hall of Empty Melodies and be prepared to fight for your life."

A bit confused, but nontheless obeisant, Roxas stepped into the Corridor of Darkness provided for him...

And found himself standing before a smirking Larxene.

With a slow and deliberate clap, she drawled, "Congratulations, shrimp. I've got five minutes to do everything I can to make you suffer."

A gleeful spark in her eyes, the Savage Nymph asked, "I don't care if you fight or flee, but more pain for you means _MORE FUN FOR __**ME!**__"_

Roxas stared at her in surprise for a second, before grinning himself. Missing Ache in hand, he charged Larxene, intent on fighting with everything he had.

* * *

_Day 21_

Listening to the ocean waves, Roxas and Larxene quietly ate their cake. After a time, Larxene spoke.

"Well, you're definitively competent now. Any problems doing your job?"

Roxas shook his head. "No, not really. Actually, I'm... kind of starting to get into it. When I'm in a fight to the death, and even when I'm bleeding and exhausted, my body feels lighter than normal, almost like I can go on forever. And that mission fight where you put me in the infirmary until today... It was amazing."

Larxene snarked, "Yeah, amazingly _stupid_ on your end. It's almost like you _wanted_ the stabbing to continue."

"Well, it's like I said - I was having the time of my life with that fight. And I could tell you enjoyed hurting me, so it wasn't exactly a problem to get back up."

Roxas turned to Larxene, and found her openly staring at him in surprise. He asked, "So, um... what about you, Larxene?"

Shaking herself out of her stupor, Larxene quickly composed herself. "I guess you're better at reading others than I thought. Yeah, I enjoy making other people suffer. The more they hurt, the better. And killing Heartless is one thing, but targeting people? It's in a league _beyond_. Watching the light go out of their eyes when they die... just thinking about it gives me a chill."

"So to summarize, you enjoy causing pain and death?"

Glaring at him, Larxene demanded, "Do you have a problem with that, _Thirteen?!_"

Attempting to placate her, Roxas raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "No, no, not at all. I'm... kind of glad, that I'm getting to know you better, is all."

Shocked at what she was hearing, Larxene realized she felt blood beginning to pool in her cheeks.

_I am NOT blushing because of this little punk! I'M NOT! __**I AM NOT!**_

"Just stop talking, brat!"

* * *

_Day 22_

Roxas and Larxene strode into the Twilight Town Station Plaza, with the mission of eliminating a singular type of Heartless.

"Ugh, I hate working in Twilight Town. Just _so_ much I could do, and our damn policy of remaining unknown won't let me show off at all. So, what was our target again - that giant Watcher subtype, right?"

Roxas accepted Larxene's complaints without comment, before giving her an affirmative. "Yep, the Guardian."

"Nice to see you've been paying attention. Well, let's get this over with. Who knows? Maybe we'll get some cake again if I'm in a good mood."

The main streets had been blocked by a barricade - apparently, the Organization's spies had observed high civilian traffic.

This meant that the dangerous duo had to go through the Heartless-infested tunnels. Which, granted, wasn't a problem - after all, Roxas got some more fighting experience and Larxene had the opportunity to inflict violence on something.

Before too long, they emerged at a deserted side street that led into the Sandlot, where their objective would be.

Without bothering to ask if her 'student' was ready, Larxene summoned her set of knives - Foudre - and entered.

As if on cue, the Guardian appeared with a small squadron of Watchers.

Immediately, the Guardian began charging a powerful laser blast, while the Watchers coordinated in an attempt to keep the Nobodies off-balance in the meantime.

A number of laser shots heading at him, Roxas twirled the Missing Ache and deflected them all, before roasting each of the Watchers he could see with a Fire spell.

Meanwhile, Larxene had casually teleported to evade each bolt sent her way, before flinging a knife in just the right spot for an instant kill. Sadist she may have been, but pathetic Heartless like those surrounding her were too boring to bother with torture.

That said, she _did_ enjoy the impunity with which she erased them from existence.

Soon enough, the Watchers had all been eliminated. Roxas then turned to the Guardian, just in time for the massive Heartless to blast him into the wall hard enough to crack said wall and burn away a considerable amount of the skin on Roxas's face.

Panting heavily at the unexpected display of power, Roxas muttered, "This is new."

Excitement creeping into his voice as his mouth began to form a grin, Roxas's eyes lit up. "An enemy... no, a... _challenge_..."

Roxas promptly pushed off of the wall with a fierce shout, and lunged at the Guardian.

Mid-leap, it powered up enough to blast him again, but Roxas weathered the assault with minimal difficulty, before leaping up and shoving his Keyblade through its eyes, permanently blinding the large Heartless.

Going berserk, the Guardian rammed itself against the nearest surface, attempting to either crush or dislodge Roxas and succeeding in the latter.

The Guardian then ascended into the air, before blindly raining lasers downward in an attempt to blast Roxas.

The Organization's No. XIII dodged and weaved through the bulk of the mass fire, but some of it still hit him.

Ducking behind a wall for some momentary cover, he turned to Larxene and asked, "Can you teleport me on top of its back? I could drag this out, but getting my face melted kinda hurts a little."

Incredulous, the Savage Nymph demanded, "_Kinda_ hurts? A _little_?"

Totally missing the incredulousness apparent from her tone, Roxas nodded. "Yeah, just a little. So, Corridor of Darkness, please? You know I haven't got the hang of 'em yet."

Silently complying, Larxene just shook her head as Roxas dropped through the Corridor.

"I swear to God, that kid is _insane_."

The Guardian felt the pulse of energy signalling a Corridor of Darkness, and attempted to re-orient itself to attack.

Instead, Roxas leapt out of the portal, kicked the Guardian where its eyes used to be, then stabbed his Keyblade completely through the same area.

Then, to make sure it died and stayed dead, he chugged an Ether - while the two were plummeting back to the ground - and then blasted its 'face' at point-blank range with a series of Fire spells.

The Guardian continued to squirm, at which point Roxas just went crazy stabbing it through its 'face'.

By the time they hit the ground, the Guardian had half-melted back into the darkness from which it came.


End file.
